1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to performing backup and restore operations and, more particularly, to performing granular restorations of data.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Backup systems are used to protect data against loss. Typically, a backup system includes software that copies the content of a set of data from a first storage device, or location, to a backup storage device. Frequently, the data is backed up and stored as a backup image, which may be a single file representing the content and structures of the backed up data. Examples of sets of data include data structures such as files, directories, databases, and volumes. If data is lost in the original set of data, the backed-up content of the set of data can be retrieved from the backup storage device and restored. Once the backed-up content is restored, it is available for use.
Conventional backup systems have traditionally created full-data structure images for full sets of data. These full-data structure images have enabled users to restore an entire data structure, such as a database, to its status at a particular time. Recently, backup systems have developed that allow selective restoration, commonly called granular restoration, of parts of a set of data, such as individual entries in a database, to the state of those entries at a particular time.
Unfortunately, existing systems for granular restoration of a set of data require the use of cumbersome processes that require the evaluation of overbroad change histories to reconstruct the status of the data structure at a particular time. These cumbersome and inefficient processes must be executed prior to allowing a user select items for restoration. The value of granular restoration technology is diminished by the delays inherent in current conventional methods for reconstructing the status of a set of data.